Folding bed or couch



Dec. 23, 1930. c. H. HOUSE FOLDING BED OR COUCH Filed Nov. 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 6% arZeJLH 0316? BY 9,) WWW ATTORNEY/ Dec. 23, 1930. c. H. HOUSE FOLDING BED OR coucn Filed Nov. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @\\A\\ d 7/ A W I v 0 E: 2 0 a m 5 w g 0/; a M 4 W 2 Wi Al? MM WW fl W d WW V6? ////////////////////2422 e 8 x W w a m w H N J k r M 6 y 6 2 v a 3 Patented Dec. 23, 1930 CHARLES H. HOUSE, OF ARKANSAS CITY, KANSAS FOLDING BEDOR COUCH Application filed November 20, 1929. Serial no 408,492.

hfy invention relates to improvements in folding beds or couches.

In accordance with my invention, I provide a folding bed or couch including a bed element, one end of which is sli-dably connected with rails arranged in a closet or other enclosure. These 7 rails are preferably inclined with their upper ends extending toward the rear of the closet. A pulley 0r pullevs are mounted in the top of the closet and cables pass 'over the pulleys and carry weights. These cables preferably slidably engage with the inner or rear end of the bed elment and extend forwardly for connection with pivoted legs carried by the forward or outer end of the bed element. The legs are pivoted to the bed elementso' that the cables not only serve to shift the bed element to the raised or closed position but automat1 cally fold the legs to the inner position.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in WlllCll l ke numerals are employed to designate llke parts throughout the same.

Figure 1 is a front elevatlon of a folding bed or couch embodying my invention, showing the bed element in the raised Or closed position, V

Figure 1 is a transverse section taken on line 1'1 of Figure 1,

Figure 2 is a perspective View of the apparatus showing the bed element in the outer or horizontal position,

m Figure 3 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the apparatus showing the bed element in the horizontal position,

Figure 4 is a similar view, parts broken away, showing the bed element in a partly raised position and the legs folded,

Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on line 4 of Figure 4, and,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective View of the bed element, showing the legs in the vertical position.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration, is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 10 designates a closet or enclosure, which may be 7. built into the Wall of the room, if desired,

and provided with a horizontally swinging door 11, to-close the same. x

The numeral 12 designates a bed element,

adapted to serve as a bed or couch and embodying a rigid frame 13 carrying a mattress 14 or other upholstered bed bottom. The frame 13 embodies an inner transverse bar 15, to which are rigidly attached brackets 16, disposed adjacent to the sides of the frame 13. These brackets carry shafts 17, GO rigidly secured thereto, and wheels 18 are rotatably mounted upon the shafts 17, and are arranged outwardly of the sides of the frame 13. These wheels operate within pairs of tracks 19, which are U-shaped, and are included in track units. These tracks are inclined rearwardly within the closet 10 and extend from the outer side of the same, at its bottom, tothe rear of the closet at' its top. The rails 19 in each pair are U-shaped in cross'section, and are spaced to afford openings'20 for the passage of the shaft 17.

The numeral 21 designates flexible elements, such as cables, having slidable engagement with the inner end of the frame 13, and for this purpose, the transverse bar'15 has openings 22, through which the cables 21 are passed and are slidable therein. This opening constitutes guide means. The cables extend longitudinally within the frame 13 inwardly ofand adjacent to the sides of the same and are attached to folding or swinging legs 23, near their free ends, as shown at 24. These legs are rigidly connected near their free ends by a transverse bar 25, having a handle 26. The upper ends of the legs are mounted. within longitudinal recesses 27, formed upon the inner faces of the sides of the frame 12, and these upper ends are pivoted to the frame 13, as shown at 28. upper ends of the legs have rounded faces 29 and shoulders 30. The rounded faces permit the legs 23 swinging upwardly into the recesses 27 to be parallel with the sides of the frame, and the shoulders 30 engage with the top walls of the recesses 27 to limit the outward movement of the legs 23, so that they are slightly inclined toward the outer'end of the frame 13, but can not swing outwardly beyond a selected inclined position. The cables 21 are attached to the legs by the brackets 24, which are arranged upon the inner side of the legs, Figure 1, and when the legs 28 are in the completely folded position, they are parallel with the sides of the frame and are at a straight angle with portions of the cable 21, since the pivots 28 are in alinement with the openings 20.

The cables 21 extend upwardly through the openings 22 along the tracks 19 and pass over pulleys 31, supported in stationary brackets 32, adjacent to the top of the closet and adjacent to the rear of the same. V-feights 38 are arranged beneath the brackets 82 and are secured to the cables.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

hen the bed element is not in use, it is vertically arranged within the closet 1.0 and the frame 18 fits in between the pairs of tracks 19. The outer end of the frame 13 may rest upon the bottom of the closet. To shift the bed element 12 to the open or horizontal position, its outer or lower end is slightly raised and it is then moved outwardly in a general horizontal direction. It is preferred that the weights 31 are slightly heavier than the inner end of the bed element so that it is necessary to exert a slight pressure upon the inner end of the bed to lower the same. As the bed element is shifted outwardly, the inner end of the same is guided downwardly along the inclined tracks 19 until the bed element assumes the horizontal position, as shown in Figure 2. The operator may then grasp the handle 26 and thereby swing the legs 23 to the outer inclined position, Figure 3, and these legs will be held in this position by the weight from the bed element. When it is again desired to shift the bed element to the vertical or closed position, the outer end of the frame 13 is slightly raised and the first action of the cables 21 is to swing the legs 23 to the inner position within the recesses 27. The inner end of the bed element will new travel upwardly along the inclined tracks, due to the action of the weights and the operator, until the bed is again in the vertical position and is bodily mounted within the closet be tween the tracks.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention, herewith shown and described. is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size ane arrangement of parts, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of my invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. The combination with upstanding guide means, of a bed element having one end engaging the guide means to travel longitudinally of the same, a pulley supported near the upper end of the guide means, a flexible element passed about the pulley and extending longitudinally of the bed element and serving to raise the inner end of the bed element, a weight secured to the flexible element, and a folding leg pivotally mounted upon the outer end of the bed element and having the flexible element attached thereto, the arrangement being such tl at the flexible element serves to both raise the inner end of the bed element and automatically folds the legs when the adjacent end of the bed element is raised.

2. The combination with upstanding guide means, of a bed element having one end engaging the guide means to travel longitudinally of the same, a pulley supported near the upper end of the guide means, a flexible element passed about the pulley, a weight secured to the flexible element, said flexible element slidably engaging the inner end of the bed. element and extending longitudinally of the same toward its outer end, and a foldi leg pivotally connected with the bed elen out near its outer end and connected with the terrible element so that the flexible element serves to swing the folding leg to the closed osition, when the outer end of the red element is raised.

3. The combination with a closet, of inclined upstanding tracks arranged within the Cl0;'8t, a bed element for movement into and out of the closet, wheels connected with the inner end of the bed element and engaging the tracks to move longitudinally thereof, the inner end of the bed element also having guide means, a pulley supported within the closet adjacent to the upper end of one track, a flexible element engaging the pulley, a weight secured to the flexible element, said flexible element engaging the guide means and extending longitudinally of the bed element, folding leg pivoted to the outer end of the bed element and connected with the flexible element, the arrangement being such tlm the folded position when the outer end of the bed element is raised, and means whereby the folding leg may be swung outwardly to an inclined position and positively held against movement beyond the outer inclined posi tion.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES H. HOUSE.

.t the flexible element swings the leg to 

